Replies

1. 
   John_D | Jan 06, 2006 04:34am | #1

   Radiant is very different from forced air.

   Radiant emits infrared radiation which converts to a temperature change when it hits something solid, so the air doesn't get heated (except as it touches the heated surfaces).  So things near the heater can get very toasty, even very very hot while much or most of the room is unheated.  Forced air works the same but air is directed over the metal inside the fan which is heated by the coils; very little radiant heat is produced and all you get is the warm air.  Unless you put something right in the way of the air stream, the room tends to heat up pretty evenly, with nothing overheated.

   If your intention is to heat the entire space to a reasonably equal temperature, radiant would not be the easiest starting point.  I'm in the Seattle area, where it doesn't get very cold, and I heat my two-car garage very easily with a 23A/220v forced air heater in under a half hour.  $200.

   If you've got shop space in the middle of a giant unheated warehouse, you'd use radiant heat, because you couldn't expect to heat the entire space!  Just get enough radiant heaters to point at everything needing warming.

   My goal is for my work to outlast me.  Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
1. 
   forestgirl | Jan 12, 2006 03:57am | #2

   "$200"  Is that the cost for the heater, or the monthly bill??  ;-)forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   John_D | Jan 12, 2006 09:36am | #3

   Hahahaha.  The heater. :)My goal is for my work to outlast me.  Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.

2. 
   tms | Jan 23, 2006 08:42pm | #4

   Hey Rwayne,I pretty much agree with John, although my situation is just the opposite of his. My shop is in an old Vaudeville theater, with sixteen foot ceilings. Using forced air in my case would be a big waste of money. I typically get a couple of hours of shop time on weekday evenings. If I used forced air, I would be leaving about the time the place warmed up.My heating is by six, 2kW radiant heaters, arranged in three thermostat zones. That way, I can have three different temperatures in the shop, or just one small heated area if I'm only working at the bench that evening.I also have a slowly rotating ceiling fan that I turn on, on weekends, when the heat's been on for an extended time, to recycle some of the warm air that eventually rises to the heights of the nosebleed section. So I do get some convective heating after about six hours.If you're working for only a short time, or in an uninsulated space that you have to let cool when you're done, then radiant will be cheaper, and faster for you. If you have a well insulated space, that you can afford to keep warm, you will be more comfortable and have less problems with forced air.Good luck,
   Tom

1. 
   John_D | Jan 24, 2006 10:58am | #5

   Wow, what a cool space you have to work in!My goal is for my work to outlast me.  Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.